A butenes stream from a refinery can include mixed butene isomers, such as 1-butene, cis-2-butene, trans-2-butene, and iso-butene. A butenes stream is often inexpensive and thus processes seek to convert the compounds to more valuable chemicals, such as butanols. Not all refineries produce a mixed butenes, so processes to convert the isomers to more valuable compounds are limited. Butanols are of greater value than butenes because of their various uses. Butanols can include sec-butanol (SBA) and tert-butanol (TBA). TBA can be used as a fuel additive and SBA can be used as a solvent. Alternately, SBA can be converted to butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK).
In certain processes, butanols can be produced together from mixed butene isomers in one step processes. However, thermodynamic limitations can impact the products produced. The temperature of the reaction influences the butanol produced, increased temperatures favor production of SBA over TBA, while inversely reduced temperatures favor production of TBA over SBA.